Ford and Ferrari in Federal Court Battle Over ‘F-150’ Trademark

Ford Motor Co has filed a trademark infringement case against Ferrari on Wednesday, February 9, 2010, according to international business news reports. The infringement case, filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit, is based on Ferrari‘s use of the name ‘F-150‘ in its 2011 Formula 1 racing car which is also the name of one of Ford‘s vehicle.

The F150 logo of the new Ferrari race car clearly provides a striking resemblance of Ford‘s F-150 pickup truck.

F-150 is one of Ford‘s top-selling vehicle in the United States, as the automaker indicated in its complaint. Ford has requested in its complaint that the court bars Ferrari from using the ‘F-150‘ name. The US automaker is also seeking financial compensation for unspecified damages worth $100,000 under the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act.

“Ferrari has misappropriated the F-150 trademark in naming its new racing vehicle the ‘F150‘ in order to capitalize on and profit from the substantial goodwill that Ford has developed in the F-150 trademark,” Ford said in its filed complaint.

Fiat SpA has a majority stake of 85% in Ferrari and 25% stake and management control in Chrysler Group LLC.

Ferrari has started promoting ‘F-150‘ as its 2011 F1 racing car in the www.ferrarif150.com website.

“The choice of name stems from Ferrari‘s desire to pay tribute to this year’s one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the unification of Italy,” Ferrari said in its January 25 press release published at Ferrari F150th Italia website.